Vaccine Schedule for Babies and Toddlers: A Cheat Sheet for Parents

Your child might get more than 30 vaccinations by age 4, but it can be tough to keep track of all those shots. That's why the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created a vaccine schedule to make sure your child is receiving vaccines on time and in a safe manner.

Take a look at the recommended vaccine schedule below; you can also find this information on the CDC website.

Vaccines at Birth

• Hepatits B (dose 1)

1-2 Months

• Hepatits B (dose 2)

2 Months

• Rotavirus (dose 1)
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis / DTaP (dose 1)
• Haemophilus influenzae type B / Hib (dose 1)
• Pneumococcal conjugate (dose 1)
• Inactivated poliovirus (dose 1)

4 Months

• Rotavirus (dose 2)
• DTaP (dose 2)
• Hib (dose 2)
• Pneumococcal conjugate (dose 2)
• Inactivated poliovirus (dose 2)

6 Months

• COVID-19 primary series (as of February 2023), plus applicable booster shots recommended by the CDC
• Rotavirus (dose 3)
• DTaP (dose 3)
• Hib (dose 3)
• Pneumococcal conjugate (dose 3)
• Begin annual influenza vaccination

6 - 18 Months

• Hepatits B (dose 3)
• Inactivated poliovirus (dose 3)

12-15 Months

• Hib (dose 4)
• Pneumococcal conjugate (dose 4)
• Measles, mumps, rubella / MMR (dose 1)
• Varicella/ chicken pox (dose 1)

12-23 Months

• Hepatitis A (2 doses)

15-18 Months

• DTaP (dose 4)

4-6 Years

• Annual influenza vaccination
• DTap (dose 5)
• Inactivated poliovirus (dose 4)
• MMR (dose 2)
• Varicella/ chicken pox (dose 2)

11-12 Years

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Tdap)
• Meningococcal (dose 1)
• HPV (3 doses)
• Annual influenza vaccination

16 Years

• Meningococcal (dose 2)
• Annual influenza vaccination

What If My Child Misses a Vaccine Dose?

If your child's vaccination schedule gets sidetracked, don't worry. The CDC has a special "catch-up" schedule for missed doses—plus recommendations for travel and special situations—so your child shouldn't have to start over. But remember that even though it's possible for most children to make up missed vaccines, postponing your child's shots is still risky. Each month your baby goes without being vaccinated means they're not fully protected from serious, but very preventable, diseases. Try to stay on track with vaccination as much as possible.